DELMARVA— On Thursday, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced the state has now surpassed 1,500 COVID-19 hospitalizations. That triggers new guidelines for hospitals statewide, including TidalHealth, which introduced a number of changes to its policies.
- Limit the number of non-urgent, or elective surgeries to make room for COVID-19 patients
- Transfer patients to other care sites with more bed capacity
- Bring in additional beds, among other changes.
Hospitals in Delaware and Maryland are making sure people can still celebrate with patients, even with new restrictions.
TidalHealth released a statement where they will also follow the Maryland guidelines at Tidal Health Nanticoke in Seaford.
The changes will take effect starting on Monday, Dec. 27, and the Maryland policies will stay in effect until hospitalizations drop below 1200.
Beebe Healthcare, they've decided to keep their visitation policies the same, for now, releasing an official statement saying:
"We have had a limited visitor policy throughout the pandemic. Additionally, we are still under a pause in non-urgent, elective surgical cases that will require an overnight stay in the hospital. this pause will continue through mid-January, and will be continually evaluated. the visitor policy is also something that is continually looked at."
The main goal for all local healthcare leaders is safety for the holidays.
"We're not trying to keep families apart. but in the middle of a pandemic, with a highly contagious illness such as COVID-19, we have to do what is right for the patience, we have to do what is right for the safety of our staff and the visitors, so our COVID-19 patients are not allowed to have visitors right now," Kevin Synder, Vice President of Marketing at Bayhealth, said.